Gunrack



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 J. P. AITCHISON ETAL GUNRACK Amma @Banken-Layer dnl-Ln E Anhann GMM/naaf;

April 22, 1952 Filed Nov. 29, 1949 :m1-inf".

@i El April 22, 1952 J. P. AlTcHlsoN ETAL 2,593,402

GUNRACK Filed NOV. 29, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Amma E. linken-Layer dnl-Ln 1:. Aicc'hiann Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUNRACK l John P. Aitchison, Washington, D. C., and Amos C. .Bonkemeyen Falls Church, Va., assignors to rthe United `States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army The invention described herein may be vmanufactured and use-d by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without payment -oi any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a gun rack which is especially adapted for use in theaters of combat operations, training centers, `'National Guard armories and other facilities, installations, posts, camps and stations Where guns of the rifle or carbine type are utilized by individuals organized into `military o1' similar units, and there is a need for the systematic `and orderly racking of such arms 4in a manner safeguarded against unauthorized removal from the rack.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a rack adapted to the racking of guns of the rifle or carbine type in numbers preferably corresponding to some preselected military unit organization in a manner which Will reduce to a minimum possible damage to the components of the weapon, provide ready accessibility for authorized removal of the `weapons from the rack for any purpose and yet provide maximum security against unauthorized removal of the weapons from the rack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack which in addition to providing maximum security against the unauthorized removal of the weapon as a unit from the rack will also provide maximum security against unauthorized removal oi components ofthe racked weapon or removal of the weapon from the rack through disassembly of or removal or components from the weapon.

The specic nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is an end view of the improved rack partially in section to show certain details of construction Fig. 2 is a side view of the rack shown in Fig. l partially in section to show certain details of construction Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken upon the lino 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is `an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the securing bar of the rack..

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference it will be observed that the rack is essentially comprised of the end frames or members I0, butt retaining members I I, rack member I2, intermediate shelf I3 and securing bars I4.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 7'57`) While it is to be understood that the end members IIJ 4may be fabricated from any suitable ma terial they are here illustrated as being conven iently formed of angle iron stock and are each comprised of a pair of convergingly disposed angle iron elements I5 interconnected at the base ends thereof by the angular ibase element |16 and at the upper ends thereof by the gusset plate I1 in a Vmanner to form generally triangular end members as clearly shown in Fig. 2. One of the legs I8 of each of the elements I5 maybe extended beyond the other leg and deformed as indicated in Figs. .l and 2 to facilitate attachment of the rack member I2 to the end members I ll.

The end 4members, or frames I 0 are interconnected at .base angular portion of the members I0 by parallel butt retaining angular elements II arranged in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 so as to form a pair of opposed symmetrically outward inclined rifle or carbine butt retaining or rest members which will give the desired cant or inclination to Weapons rested thereon. The butt retaining members may be partitioned by the transverse elements I9 to provide individual receptacles for `the butts of the guns G.

The horizontally disposed rack member I2 is designed to interconnect the tips of the end members 'I0 as indicated in Fig. 2 and may be securely fastened to the inturned portions I8 of elements I5 by any appropriate tamper-proof fasteners. As indicated the rack member I2 `is formed with opposed rows of outwardly opening U -shaped slots 2G equal in number of and aligned with the receptacles of the butt retaining members. Each slot 2.9 is dimensioned'to snugly although conveniently receive the muzzle end portion of a rifle, carbine or similar Weapon G.

The intermediate shelf I3is horizontally disposed between ,the end members I0 by means of angle bars 2| secured to elements I5 of the end members I0 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 in a manner to reinforce the end members. Shelf I3 is formed with opposed rows of outwardly opening U-shaped slots 22 so dimensioned as to snugly engage the intermediate portion of the guns without permitting rotation of the weapon within the slot and Without permitting manipulation and/or Withdrawal of the action piece from the Weapon so long as the weapon is in the slot 22 with the action piece engaging th inner face of the slot. The shelf i3 is disposed so that the slots 22 will engage the gun upon the surface generally opposite the trigger guard and in the oase of guns having bolt actions will receive the weapon with the bolt closed so as to engage the 3 bolt with the upper surface of the shelf I3 just below the bolt actuating handle H or the bolt locking lugs L whereby positive assurance is afforded that the bolt may not be withdrawn from .the gun while the gun is positioned in the slot as described.

Securing bars i4 may conveniently be fabricated as U-shaped bars comprised of the lateral members 23 interconnected in any suitable manner at the upper ends thereof by a cross bar 24 formed with a number of locking fingers 25 corresponding to the number of guns to be accom modated upon one side of the rack, all as clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 5. The securing bars I4 are formed with locking lugs 26 at either end of the cross bars 24 and may be pivotally mounted upon the end members l of other suitable parts of the rack as at 2l', so as to be swingable to bring the locking ngers 25 to a lposition just above the trigger guard or into the magazine wells W of guns so provided in a manner to secure the guns in the slots 22 within tolerances that will not permit such manipulation of the guns as to allow the removal of the gun from the rack or any of the action piece components from the weapon.

The securing bar may bel locked in securing position of the locking fingers 25 through interlocking each of the lateral members 23 with the end members l0 by any lock adapted for the' purpose as indicated at 23. This system of locking adapts itself to greater safeguarding of the racked weapons as the individual locks 28 may be placed under the custodianship of different individuals,

It will be understood that the rack may be dimensioned to have any desired capacity and coordinated to a military unit organization so as to facilitate the racking of guns by the unit.

We claim: i

1 .,In a gun rack the combination of a frame comprised of a pair of oppositely disposed triangular shaped end members, butt retaining elements interconnecting the end members adjacent the lower outer portions thereof adapted to receive the butts of guns, a horizontally disposed rack member formedfwith a row of outwardly opening slots adapted to individually receive the muzzle end portion of a gun, said rack member interconnecting the apical portions of said end members, a shelf disposed between said end members intermediate the top and bottom portions thereof formed with a row of outwardly opening slots adapted to individually and snugly receive the intermediate part of a gun closely adjacent the trigger guard, securing means formed with locking ngers adapted to individually engage a gun just above said trigger guard to secure the gun in the rack, said means swingably mounted on the rack for movement to and from the securing position of said fingers, and means for locking the securing Ameans in gun securing position.

2. In a gun rack for the systematic arrangement and safeguarding of guns not in use, the combination of a frame comprised of a pair of oppositely disposed triangularly shaped end mem bers, parallel butt retaining elements interconnecting the end members adjacent the base angular portions thereof adapted to receive and posi tion the kbutts of individual guns, a horizontally disposed rack member formed with opposed rows of outwardly opening U-shaped slots adapted to individually receive the muzzle end portions of the guns, said rack member interconnecting the apical portions of said end members, a shelf `disposed horizontally between said end members intermediate the butt retaining and rack members formed with opposed rows of outwardly opening `Lil-shaped slots adapted to individually and snugly receive the intermediate part of a gun closely adjacent the trigger guard, a U-shap-ed securing bar rotatably mounted by means of the parallel arms thereof upon the end members for swinging movement of the cross arm thereof to and from a position closely adjacent to said intermediate parts of the guns, locking fingers carried by the securing bar adapted to individually enter the magazine well of a gun and secure the gun against removal from the rack when said cross arm of the securing bar is disposed closely adjacent said intermediate parts of the gun, and means for locking the securing bar in gun secur ing position.

JOHN P. AITCHISON. AMOS C. BONKEMEYER.

REFERENCES CITED l The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date .I 

